WOAKES A WHIZZ
COUNTDOWN TO Fit-again Chris fires warning
CHRIS WOAKES is ready to sock it to Australia in next week’s opening Ashes Test.
The paceman took six wickets on the opening day of England’s final tour match before the first Test in Brisbane.
Woakes spent much of last summer injured with a side strain but looked back to his best as he ran through a Cricket Australia XI in Townsville.
He took 6-54, including a spell of 4-8 either side of lunch, to help reduce the hosts to 118-5 but they stubbornly fought back to reach 249-9 at the close.
Bruised
On the down side, England dropped three catches, the bowlers struggled for length and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow needed an hour out to nurse a bruised finger.
But while fellow pacemen Jake Ball (sprained ankle) and James Anderson (stomach bug) bowled in the nets, Woakes once again laid waste to the side he also took six wickets against in a day-night match in Adelaide last week.
Anderson and Stuart Broad have 894 Test wickets between them but the Aussies may find Woakes, who has quickly found out how to use the unfamiliar Kookaburra ball, as big a handful. And ® from RODNEY WHITE in Townsville England’s Kiwi bowling coach Shane Bond believes skipper Joe Root has an attack capable of beating the old enemy, despite all the talk about the Australian pacemen.
Bond said: “Chris is going really well at the moment, he’s fully back to fitness and bowling well.
“There is not going to be massive amounts of swing and the pitches won’t do the work for you, so you have to find different ways to skin a cat.
“I can’t wait for the first Test match and I’m excited about our prospects.”
The Ashes series begins a week today and Woakes said: “I’m pleased to pick up six wickets and, a week away from the first Test, it’s good to hit some form.
“I suppose whenever you’re left out of a Test team, you’re always dying to get back in it and prove your worth.”
Star all-rounder Moeen Ali enjoyed his first run-out of the tour, bowling 16 wicketless overs on his return from a side strain.
There was plenty of hostile barracking from a rowdy Queensland crowd that will warm up England for the ever-hostile Gabba.